Girls

Prolouge

Chapter One; meeting her.

i had always been told, never meet people you meet on the internet. its dangerous. talking to strangers on there is dangerous, too. so be careful. i had learned that lesson the hard way when i was 13 and a man who is now locked up catfished me pretending to be a girl i was 'dating'. that scared me out of online dating. long distance? nooo thank you. id stick to awkwardly looking at pretty girls in the mall and wondering if they listening to girl in red or the neighbourhood. i lived with my mom and my step dad, and she wasnt very kind to me.. lets just say.. im only smiling today because of my step dad.

"always on your phone..." muttered my mom from the kitchen table. it made me feel guilty, so i turned it off and set it face down, looking at her from the couch.

we lived in a very small home out in the country, with only one bedroom, leaving me the living room couch to call my own.

"yes?" i asked, trying to keep my voice steady and prepared.

"where are you buying all this stuff from?" she asked, pointing to the empty amazon boxes by the front door. "you dont have a job, so you shouldnt have money."

"i told you," i felt a lump in my throat. "my friend gave me forty dollars for breaking my earbuds, and i had a little left in my bank account."

"no." she stated.

i got quiet, staring at her with a blank face. the lump grew.

"what..?"

"i know where youre getting it from." she stood, and walked over to the couch's arm rest. "you are not doing that in my house."

"doing what?" i played stupid, but i knew. i just didnt know how she knew.

"im not saying it." she said, disgusted.

"i dont know what youre talking about, mom im serious." stick with your story.

"show me your transactions on your bank account app. and im not asking." she walked away, to the back door.

i groaned, leaning back on the couch. i stopped doing sex work, and as soon as i did, she finds out i was doing it.

fuck my life, and everything in it.

- - -

i laid on the couch, it was around 2am, and i was scrolling through facebook's people you may know. i added a bunch of random people, making sure to avoid creeps and 12 year olds.

one new message

i look as the chat bubble pops up, and my heart leaps at this persons face. she has short firetruck red hair, with piercings and striking blue eyes.

tessa replied to your story
youre cute.

i stared at the message, thinking of what to say. should i even reply? it felt weird to reply right away. but it felt rude not to. it wasnt mean.. so i should be polite.

rose
thank you sm!!
2:16am

i looked as she read it, and started replying. oh god.

what if shes a dry replier. they make me so anxious.

tessa
anytime :) i saw you wanted to dye your hair and that the color you have in now isnt coming out.. i can help you if youd like, im studying cosmotology.
2:17am

i bit my lip, chewing on the stupid loose skin. shes pretty... but still..

rose
id love that! but idk you.. wed have to talk for a while.. if thats okay?
2:17am

tessa
haha yeah! of course.. i wont mind :)
2:18am

and that was it. we talked all night, until the sun rose and we both fell asleep on accident. we talked daily since that first conversation. about anything. her annoying little sister, her moms passive aggressive and how my mom was the same, how her step dad is creepy and scares everyone he meets away, how she loves books and music, and how her sexuality is basicially a personality trait for her.

she learned things about me, too. and she helped even more so. id message her when my mom and i were fighting, and eventually tessa suggested that i move into a youth shelter up north that was semi close to her. i told my mom, and of course, she freaked out.

"but why?" she asked, visibly upset.

"well i have no bedroom, i feel like a child here, i want to be an adult and live!" i said, standing.

she laughed. "well youre my kid."

"and you dont own me." i stated harshly. "and im doing this."

with that, she walked out of the room, to her own. and my step dad, who was in their bedroom, came out a few minutes after.

"so youre moving huh?" he asked, biting into hia burger.

"i want to," i said.

"i think its a good idea," he smiled. "and ill drive you if i need to."

and that was that. i messaged tessa that night, and she was just as excited as me, if not more.

i ended up moving into a girls youth home. with no roommate and only one other house mate, olivia, she was quiet, nice. and as i was unpacking, my phone rang.

tessa is calling

i anxiously answered, holding the phone up to my ear. "hello--?"

"when do i get to see youuu!!" she screamed happily into my ear. i couldnt even be mad if i wanted to.

"tomorrow." i said, smiling as i put her on speaker, setting her on my bed and continuing.

"thats dumb. why not today?"

"because," i said, rolling my eyes. "its already four, and i have a curfew here and itll take like two hours to get to you."

"lame." she huffed. "but fine.. so let me tell you what my step dad did--"

i listened to her ramble, all night abour him. i loved her voice. she never processed it was our first call, though. i liked it. made it less awkward.

- - -

rose
im getting on the train!!

i sat down on my seat, smoothing out my outfit and plugging in my earbuds. my phone was suddenly blowing up.

tessa
oj my god

tessa
its happenjng????

tessa
I NEED TO STRESS POOP

i smiled, rolling my eyes and shutting off my phone. she was cute. and i was finally going to see her cute face in person. in an hour. i was so excited that i didnt feel nervous or anxious. and thats coming from the girl who has a severe anxiety disorder. it just felt right. there was no shred of doubt or fear. only happiness. with each passing station i texted her and let her know, and she eventually said she was going to be at the station waiting for me. suddenly.. i did feel a little butterfly in my stomach.

i slowly stepped off the train, finally, after an hour, and looked around cautously. and, all the way at the other end, was the girl with the bright dyed hair. whe was beaming, with a baggy highschool letterman on, and walked quickly towards me.

her hands slipped from the pockets and pulled me to her, and as she did, she muttered a "give me a kiss." and pecked my lips before i reacted.

i didnt have the heart to tell her she just stole my first kiss, but it felt special.

amd just like that, as we hugged and laughed, i felt our storybook, begin.